Winter Sports Previews: Madison High School Girls Indoor Track Team

This season, the Madison High School girls indoor track team is hoping to build on the success it saw last season, when the Dodgers brought home a conference championship, placed second in the state sectional and sent two team members to the Meet of Champions.

Although some of their key contributors have graduated, including those two who attended the MOC, there are some vital distance runners returning this year. Senior Caroline Miller and junior Melissa Iskandar, both distance runners, hope to continue the success they saw last year and to lead the way for some of their younger teammates.

Much of the team is young this year. Of all the sprinters, the oldest is a sophomore. But the veteran athletees and the coaches expressed confidence, nonetheless.

"As a team, we have a lot of new kids, but they have a lot of potential. We only have six returning players, but I think we will do well," remarked Iskandar.

Assistant coach Sue Bessin expressed similar sentiments, stating, "I'm excited. We have a lot of new kids. It is a new conference. So it's hard to tell how things will play out. But I think we have some good potential."

Head coach Mark LaDolcetta remarked about the new conference and about the state of the team in general.

"I think we can be very successful in the new conference… even though the girls team is younger, I think there are some key team members who can help us succeed," LaDolcetta said.

Another bright spot for the Dodgers this year can be found in junior shot putter Elizabeth Hubbard, who has thrown since her freshman year and has emerged as a team leader. She is confident in her team and in herself going into the season.

"I think this season is going to go great. Personally, I think I'm going to do really well," Hubbard remarked as the team headed off the track during a recent practice and into the weight room to finish its workout.

The team's first meet was at Thursday night's Lid Lifter at Drew University,  with its second meet this Saturday at the same site (check back for full coverage of Saturday's event).

LaDolcetta is entering his second year as head coach. He is also an assistant coach for the cross country team. Under his leadership last year, the girls indoor track team's accomplishments were impressive, and although much of the team this year is young, the sentiment on the team seems to be one of confidence.